法華義疏 10.62

10.62

諸天來者，人有三事勝天：一、能斷欲；二、強識；三、精進。天有二事劣人：一、欲天著五欲，二、色無色天著禪味，故不及人，所以來人間聽法。又菩薩天欲弘法利人，故來人間聽法。又欲逐諸惡鬼及增益法師身心二力，是故來也。「所以者何」下，第二大段，次明歎教。所以歎教者凡有三義：一者、四行由經而成故須歎經。二者、上明弘經之行，今歎所弘之經，但如來在世善識物機默說有時，弘經之人亦須知時而動，不得聞經福重遇人便說。三者、近為釋成上人愛天護文生，此經既為三世佛所守護愛念，人天護念何足稱哉！就文為三：一者、雙標二說；二者、雙舉兩譬；三者、雙結。雙標者，初明三世佛所護。「文殊」下，歎教妙理深。「無量國中名字不可得聞」者，一者、小乘國中所不聞也；二、無緣國中不得聞也。三者、不作聞相不作句相無聞者相，如此之聞無量國中甚難得也。「譬如強力」下，第二、雙譬。為二別：初、譬昔未得說《法華》；次、譬明今始得說。皆前譬、後合。「轉輪聖王」譬佛，「小王」喻四魔，「起種種兵」明隨機設教使物修行降伏四魔，「戰有功者」明佛見眾生，修行滅惑稱為有功，稱根授法各也。「隨功賞賜」，隨所修行斷惑多少得諸功德也。智斷為田、禪定為宅，有餘涅槃為聚落，無餘涅槃為城邑，慚愧為衣服，道品為珍寶，象馬奴婢喻以神通。「獨王頂上有此一珠」者，唯佛與佛乃能究盡一乘妙法也。「王眷屬」者，謂十方佛及大菩薩。「驚怪」，釋迦以一乘大海，澍二乘牛跡，以未有大機而授大法理所不應，故稱驚怪。合譬如文。

As for the devas coming: humans excel devas in three matters: first, the ability to sever desire; second, powerful memory; third, vigorous effort. Devas are inferior to humans in two matters: first, desire devas are attached to the five desires; second, form and formless devas are attached to the taste of dhyāna; therefore, they do not equal humans, which is why they come to the human realm to listen to the Dharma. Furthermore, bodhisattva devas wish to propagate the Dharma and benefit people, so they come to the human realm to listen to the Dharma. Furthermore, they wish to drive away all evil demons and increase both the physical and mental strength of the Dharma master; therefore, they come. From “For what reason” downward is the second major section, which next clarifies praising the teaching. Praising the teaching has three meanings in all: First, the four practices are accomplished through the sūtra, hence one must praise the sūtra. Second, the preceding clarified the practice of propagating the sūtra, and now it praises the sūtra that is propagated; however, while the Tathāgata was in the world, he well understood the capacities of beings, and his silence and speech were properly timed; those who propagate the sūtra must likewise act knowing the proper time, and must not, upon hearing of the great merit of the sūtra, immediately preach it to whomever they meet. Third, closely following, it explains and confirms the preceding passage on human affection and divine protection: since this sūtra is protected and cherished by the buddhas of the three periods of time, what need is there to mention the protection and mindful care of humans and devas! In terms of the text, there are three parts: first, marking both two teachings; second, presenting both two parables; third, concluding both. Marking both: first it clarifies being protected by the buddhas of the three periods of time. From “Mañjuśrī” downward praises the teaching's marvel and the principle's depth. Regarding “In immeasurable lands, even its name cannot be heard”: first, it cannot be heard in lands of the Hīnayāna; second, it cannot be heard in lands lacking the condition; third, not forming the mark of hearing, not forming the mark of phrases, and having no mark of a hearer—such hearing is exceedingly difficult to find in immeasurable lands. From “Just as a powerful” downward is the second [part], the two parables. It comprises two distinctions: first, the parable illustrating that previously the Lotus Sūtra could not yet be preached; next, the parable clarifying that now it can at last be preached. Both first give the parable and afterward the correspondence. The “wheel-turning sage king” is a parable for the Buddha; the “minor kings” illustrate the four Māras; “raising various armies” clarifies providing teachings according to capacities to cause beings to practice and subdue the four Māras; “those who have merit in battle” clarifies that when the Buddha sees sentient beings practicing and eliminating delusions, this is called having merit, and he confers the Dharma appropriately according to their faculties. “Rewarding them according to merit” means that according to their practice and how many delusions they sever, they attain all kinds of merits. Wisdom and abandonment are the fields; dhyāna-concentration is the house; nirvāṇa with remainder is the village; nirvāṇa without remainder is the walled city; shame and conscience are the garments; the aids to the path are the precious jewels; and elephants, horses, and servants illustrate supernatural powers. Regarding “Only on the crown of the king's head is there this one jewel”: only buddha together with buddha can thoroughly penetrate the marvelous Dharma of the ekayāna. The “king's retinue” refers to the buddhas and great bodhisattvas of the ten directions. “Felt astonished”: Śākyamuni poured the great ocean of the ekayāna into the ox-footprints of the two vehicles; because there was not yet the great capacity, to confer the Great Dharma was not in principle appropriate, and therefore it is called being astonished. The correspondence to the parable is as in the text.